The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh announced Tuesday it is offering eligible faculty and staff a voluntary retirement buyout with a one-time payment equal to 50% of an employee's annual base salary.

UW-Oshkosh becomes the third campus within the UW System to offer buyouts in an effort to reduce its workforce in the face of state budget cuts. UW-Eau Claire was the first, followed last week by UW-Superior.

UW-Oshkosh expects about 100 employees would be eligible. It has set a goal of reducing its workforce by 80 within the next three years.(16)

Blog Archive

Posts for November, 2011

The story of infant mortality is typically expressed as numbers: In the last two years alone, 271 babies died in Milwaukee before their first birthday. Milwaukee's black infants died at about 2.5 times the rate of white babies.

In reality, the story of infant mortality is the story of people.

Families with a history of health problems. Moms who struggle to find access to quality care. Fathers who may be absent. Babies born too small and too fragile.

Every story is different. But some common factors emerge.

As part of our Empty Cradles series, the Journal Sentinel this year will be following Iesha Houff, Mandigo Ragsdale and their new daughter, Alexeyna Asanna Ragsdale.

Empty Cradles - The Series

The Journal Sentinel is taking on an issue we have too long ignored – the death of children before their first birthday. Infant mortality is a crisis not just of public health, but of ethics and morality. The rate at which our infants die in Milwaukee is unacceptable. In 2011, we will examine the problem and point to solutions.

In the Milwaukee area, there are more than 90 programs or initiatives focused on helping women have healthy babies -- and many of them need your help. This searchable database includes the programs and what their needs are, from volunteers to cash donations or donations of cribs, diapers, formula or infant clothes.